re-nailing OSB sheeting

[wvrick]

I recently built a 20X12 shed and while sheeting the roof with OSB sheeting, my volunteer helper who I was handing the panels up to misaligned and nailed leaving in some places 1 1/2" gaps. He was calling down the measurements for cutting to me so I never seen the gap until it was too late, we finished after dark and the next morning I seen these large gaps. Now I want to fix the gaps and either re-do the roof or pull nails and move the full sheeting and re-nail, and replace what I have to re-cut. I'm wondering if its ok to re-nail OSB or should new sheets be used???

Thanks!

[MikeT]

So the gaps are on the horizontal and are running perpendicular to your rafters?  And you didn't use any clips on the seams, I'm guessing.  And you went beyond just tacking the sheets up with a few nails per sheet, right---like every 6" there is a nail?  OSB isn't expensive, so you are not out of a lot of money if you just rip it off and start over.  But that is a waste of materials and time.  And your gap is almost too narrow to place a meaningful strip in between....

Let me throw out the idea of ripping a bit off (like 6") each sheet and placing a 12" sheet in between.  And when you do this, you can then add some clips between to give you added strength.

But I will let others with far more experience correct me and add their insights.

mt

[NM_Shooter]

Ouch.  Next time, beer after the work for the helper, not during.

Can you cut 2X4 to fit between the trusses and scab over the gaps from the inside of the roof?  Toe nail into the trusses. 

-f-

[MountainDon]

Narrow strips of OSB should never be used to sheath a roof, or any part of a roof. A narrow strip will not support the weight of person stepping on them.With roofing paper applied you will not be able to tell the safe spots from the unsafe. There is a minimum recommended width and I think it is at least 12 inches wide, but may be 16 inches. I do not recall for certain. (might be 12 inches for rafters at 16 centers, and 16 inches for rafters at 24 centers?   )

It's very difficult to remove OSB and not tear up the edges. If it was just a small thing using a reciprocating saw to cut the nails works well. But for as much as you describe that would be difficult and take too long, IMO.

[MikeT]

What do you guys think about adding a layer of OSB over the top for his project?

[NM_Shooter]

Would be fine, as long as the trusses are still on their centers and the edges of the OSB can be nailed into the trusses.  I suspect that you would need to use slightly longer ring shank nails.  I don't believe the offset from the trusses by 1/2" would cause any structural issues.

[OkieJohn2]

If a whole new layer of sheathing is considered, you might also consider a technique used in building with SIPS.  In this case 1 x 3's would be nailed on over the rafters/trusses and then a second layer of sheathing nailed on top of that.  This leaves a continuous airspace bottom to top.  They make a special drip edge that has slits cut into it and use this with a venting ridge cap.  Of course you also have to consider that this is a shed after all.

[wvrick]

So the gaps are on the horizontal and are running perpendicular to your rafters? YES And you didn't use any clips on the seams, I'm guessing.NO, but they were there and my helper decided not to use them  And you went beyond just tacking the sheets up with a few nails per sheet, right---like every 6" there is a nail?YES, he just nailed away  OSB isn't expensive, so you are not out of a lot of money if you just rip it off and start over.  But that is a waste of materials and time.  And your gap is almost too narrow to place a meaningful strip in between....I'm leaning toward the starting over idea

Let me throw out the idea of ripping a bit off (like 6") each sheet and placing a 12" sheet in between.  And when you do this, you can then add some clips between to give you added strength.

But I will let others with far more experience correct me and add their insights.

mt

Thanks MT

and I want to add, I was working alone on the shed and I'm not a builder so when I was offered help and he said he knew what he was doing I believed him. He was calling down the measurements for the sheet to be cut and I was cutting and sending them back up. Not until hours after we were near finished did I see how bad things were.

[MountainDon]

Just to be clear; the 4x8 sheets are installed with the long dimension  going across the rafters, parallel to the roof eve and ridge.

[MikeT]

I think much of this comes down to how fastidious you want to be.  I can imagine another way of dealing with this could be to work from underneath and nail 2x4s on the flat side along the 1 1/2" gap and then go back up top and nail the sheets to the 2x4s. 

You did say this was a shed, right?  I wouldn't go through heroic measures...

But that is just me....

[wvrick]

Just to be clear; the 4x8 sheets are installed with the long dimension  going across the rafters, parallel to the roof eve and ridge.

Yes, the sheets are as you say, on their sides to span more trusses per sheet.